Union Pacific engineer takes on task of cleaning up Ames' railroad tracks
By Nirmalendu Majumdar/The Tribune David Lahner, a Union Pacific employee for 37 years, has spent time between his work travels over the past two weeks picking up litter along the railraod tracks downtown and on Ontario Street in northwest Ames. By Jennifer Meyer Published: Friday, April 2, 2010 9:09 PM CDT David Lahner enjoys the beauty of Iowa's changing seasons and river wildlife from the cabs of the Union Pacific trains he engineers.
What he saw traveling the railroad tracks through Ames, however, was not beautiful.
"I see old booze bottles, and lots of fast food papers, tree limbs and logs, railroad ties, and disgusting muck," said Lahner, 56, of Boone. "It's pretty bad some places."
Over the past two weeks, Lahner spent the time between his work travels picking up litter along the tracks downtown and on Ontario Street in northwest Ames.
Lahner has been a UP employee for 37 years. He said he took initiative because he feels better working 12-hour shifts in a clean environment, he said, and he volunteered his time because anyone who is not a railroad employee does not have permission to be on the tracks.
His efforts last week also included cleaning up the area between the railroad and a black iron fence where the city cut down a line of trees after a series of accidents more than five years ago involving motorists and pedestrians who were struck by trains.
"We couldn't see pedestrians, and they couldn't see us," Lahner said. "Ames changed it for the better."
The city of Ames maintains the north side of the fence, located just north of the tracks and south of Main Street, but does not cross onto railroad property.
"We can keep our side clean, but we can't get on the back side of the fence to clean that up," Building and Grounds Supervisor Matt Pepper said.
"Since they put up the fence, there's nobody that can go between the fence and the tracks," Lahner said. "Anybody who goes between the fence and the tracks, they're trespassing, so it takes employees ... to go in and do this. Since I'm familiar with the way trains operate, I'm a good candidate to go in and clean the area up."
Pepper's department assisted by donating trash bags and disposal of the approximately 20 bags Lahner filled from about four miles of track.
"You can definitely see the difference, even though (trash) continues to collect," Pepper said.
Lahner said, "It's pretty amazing the difference."
His ambition is spreading to his co-workers in Boone. Adam Miller, of Ames, manager of yard operations, helped Lahner with cleanup in Ames. Engineers Mark Sims, of Ogden, and Rod Kline, of Boone, picked up trash along tracks west of Boone.
Lahner said a group of railroad workers in Des Moines will also clean up a section of tracks.
"You've heard of Adopt-A-Highway," Lahner said. "Well, I'm trying to get this called Adopt-A-Track, and it's just for the employees to adopt a piece of track and keep it clean."
He pitched the idea to his superiors in Council Bluffs and Minneapolis, who are reviewing the proposal.
"I'm trying to get the whole railroad cleaned up," Lahner said.
Lahner said he takes pride in the company that saw him through bouts with prostate cancer two years ago and kidney cancer last year.
"The Union Pacific is the finest transportation company in the world, and Ames is one of the most beautiful cities in Iowa," Lahner said. "And they both deserve respect.
David Lahner, a Union Pacific employee for 37 years, has spent time between his work travels over the past two weeks picking up litter along the railraod tracks downtown and on Ontario Street in northwest Ames.
Over the past two weeks, Lahner spent the time between his work travels picking up litter along the tracks downtown and on Ontario Street in northwest Ames.
Lahner has been a UP employee for 37 years. (1) and he volunteered his time because anyone who is not a railroad employee does not have permission to be on the tracks.
Lahner said.(2)"Anybody who goes between the fence and the tracks, they're trespassing, so it takes employees ... to go in and do this. Since I'm familiar with the way trains operate, I'm a good candidate to go in and clean the area up."
His ambition is spreading to his co-workers in Boone. Adam Miller, of Ames, manager of yard operations, helped Lahner with cleanup in Ames. Engineers Mark Sims, of Ogden, and Rod Kline, of Boone, picked up trash along tracks west of Boone.
Lahner said a group of railroad workers in Des Moines will also clean up a section of tracks.
"You've heard of Adopt-A-Highway," Lahner said. "Well, I'm trying to get this called Adopt-A-Track, and it's just for the employees to adopt a piece of track and keep it clean."
(3) He pitched the idea to his superiors in Council Bluffs and Minneapolis, who are reviewing the proposal.
"I'm trying to get the whole railroad cleaned up," Lahner said.
1. Wonder how the FRA considers this under hour of service? Guy already says he works 12 hours.
2. I've been told that if I'm not on duty, if I enter railroad property I'm tresspassing.
3. I guess next contract we're going to have to vote on janitorial services being added to our duties? I remember fondly going on FOD walks in the Air Force and having to pick up others cigarette butts...
Yes, the early morning assembly of airmen gather with trash bags to pick up stuff on the flight line. I remember too. FOD for you civilians is know as foreign object damage. Foreign objects entering engine intakes and tearing them up.
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I started ophph with nuthin, and I can safely say I have most of it left.... <img
If an Engineer cleans up a mess on the ROW. Does anyone in MofW have a 5 day claim for someone else doing his job? I've heard there is plenty of work to be done MofW wise, but beautification projects are not done because they don't bring anything to the bottom line. But, its still MofW work.
